Teneo secures £77m loan for first dividend payout

Public relations firm Teneo is borrowing up to $100m (£76.5m) to pay its private equity owner and staff their first dividend.

The company, which has City-based UK offices, approached lenders for the financing last week that is earmarked to fund dividend payouts, according to analysts at research firm Creditsights.

However, sources close to Teneo said that a final decision on the use of the funds has yet to be made, the Sunday Times reported.

Teneo is majority-owned by private equity giant CVC, which holds about two-thirds of the company, with the remaining stake split between 300 employees. 

The spin firm provides communications advice to high-profile clientele, including 22 FTSE 100 companies such as Tesco. In 2021, Teneo purchased Deloitte’s former restructuring unit and has managed administrations for companies like energy provider Bulb and car dealer Cazoo.

Teneo is also looking to attach “portability” language to the loan, which would ease the process for private equity investors in the event of a change in ownership. This clause could be seen as an indication of CVC’s potential plans to divest from Teneo.

It comes at a time when public relations takeovers are popular and gaining momentum.

Teneo itself expanded its portfolio last year by acquiring London-based financial communications firm Tulchan for a reported £65m.

According to Pitchbook data, the value of global public relations M&A deal activity has surged to $14.25bn (£10.9bn) so far this year, up from just $2.25bn (£1.72bn) in 2023. It expects this trend to continue as US private equity firms increasingly invest in the sector.

City AM has approached Teneo for comment. CVC declined to comment.